Viva La Vida: kinda Ozai centric Read and Review!
by azherd
Summary: Ozai feeling regretful on anni. of da day he & azula were taken down.READ REVIEW! slight zxk,not rly other ldplay.READ AND REVIEW! or else...I'll send da secret azn man after u. j/k. english assignment,review to help me get a better grade.


Disclaimer: I sadly don't own ATLA. I wish I did. If I did, Katara would be paired with someone else, as would Zuko.

I also don't own "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay. So don't sue me please. I wish I did tho. I LOVE rock music especially Coldplay and muse...anyways

Anybody mind reviewing and telling me what to edit and stuff? This is actually an English assignment, and I haven't watched Avatar in like forever. Correct me if I did anything wrong please.

Ozai centric about him feeling sorry for himself and regretting his sins on the anniversary of the day he and Azula were taken down...oneshot...here's some stuff u should know

Jerusalem: an large island in the middle of the ocean with lotsa sand, water, and a volcano to please each kind of elemental bender. It's also the place where Aang lives, and where delegations and peace treaties etc. are arranged...

Roman cavalry choirs: new airbender style monks and nuns that Aang converted. They live mostly near the Fire Nation Palace and Jerusalem. They preach the message of peace and forgiveness to each of the villagers and other civilians thru singing.

Saint Peter: the soul of a long dead avatar believed to guide every newly dead person to their respective place in the spiritworld. If the person was good or died young and innocent, he'd lead them to a Paradise called Heaven. If the newly dead soul was a bad person, he'd lead them to a place called Hell. It was a deep pit thought to contain the anguished and furious bloodcurdling screams of all of those who had been wronged.

Ozai may seem OOC, but in this fanfic, he's slowly breaking down until it all gets to him and he kinda changes his personality. Not a lot of the other characters in here.

Sooo...

Ozai woke up to the sound of a prison guard banging on his cell bars. He groaned.

"Wake up! Wake UP! Don't you know what today is? Fire Lord Zuko will be very displeased if he finds out that you forgot about this very important day! You have to help with the preparations and clean!" yelled the excited guard. Ozai sighed and sat up. He realized that today was the anniversary of the day he and his daughter were defeated by his teenage son and his little_ annoying _friends_._ The motley group had named it an international holiday in which there were festivals, speeches given by the various rulers, dancing, feasting, and at the end a moment to mourn the lives that had been lost. It was called the Day of Peace and Cleansing. He still couldn't fathom how the "gAang" managed to defeat him. He snickered. "GAang" was such a stupid name. His daughter had become insane. She had been locked up in a special cell. The Avatar had had to strip away Azula's firebending for her own safety. Azula had died a week after in her sleep. Her last words had been the names of their family. He flinched in disgust at the thought of her. She had been a tool, just another tool. He didn't care. The only reason he hadn't exiled her like he had Zuko was because she was useful. Ozai had realized that she too was power hungry and would've killed him soon anyway. He hated disloyalty. Everybody was loyal to Ozai, they wouldn't be alive otherwise. Ozai was loyal too, to himself and to power. No one else deserved his loyalty. Nobody else mattered. But lately, things had changed. Ozai paused his musings and dragged himself out of the straw mat he used as a mattress and received a bowl of water and his toothbrush to do his morning ablutions.

He glanced at his reflection in the shallow 's hair had grown even longer, but was still jet black and silky. His face however, was a totally different story. The face that stared back at him was gaunt, with bloodshot eyes and dark bags from loss of sleep. Ozai's cheek bones had become even more pronounced and his eyes were dull, with only a little bit of the menacing glint he used to have before. Etched onto his face was an almost permanent scowl that never seemed to leave his face these days. _What would Ursa think of me now?_ He grimaced inwardly. Where had that thought come from?

Ozai thought back to his porcelain skinned wife. She had been banished, and he had long since stopped asking spies to keep track of her. He knew her loyalty probably lay to the Avatar's side, which had fought for peace. He remembered the days when he was a hormonal teen. He used to sneak out of the palace after his "Prince" lessons just to meet her. Ursa would wear a long red cloak and hood, hiding her identity as she waited for him to accompany her for a walk in the bustling markets. Each time they would buy special spiced chicken on a stick that sizzled with flavor from an old dark-skinned man. He had one bright green eye and a milky green one. The old man's hair- (Ozai remembered his name was Yuthr) was extremely long. It shone blindingly bright silver during the day. Ozai remembered the last day he had seen Yuthr.

(Flashback)

Ozai stood waiting at Yuthr's stall, impatiently tapping his foot. He scowled. "Come on old man! I must leave soon! They'll be waiting for me!" But Yuthr had only stared into the distance, his milky green eye twitching. His body convulsed suddenly for half a minute. Ozai looked on worriedly. Inwardly, he debated whether or not to blow his cover and get help for the old man he had come to grow a little bit fond of. On one hand, he probably wouldn't want to be allowed to walk disguised with Ursa in the open streets. On the other hand, he feared for the old man. In a second he made up his mind to call for help. Ursa would forgive him if she knew of his noble intentions, he reasoned with himself. Right before he was about to dash to find the guards that patrolled the markets, the old man recovered from whatever had been ailing him.

Ozai kneeled in front of Yuthr. "Are you okay? Here, drink this." Ozai handed him a glass of water. The old man looked at him with a disgusted look on his face. He took the glass of water and flung it into Ozai's face. Ozai jerked back and flinched. "What was that for?" he asked angrily. Who was this senile old man to throw water at the face of the prince who would one day rule the world, the same prince that had looked after him when he convulsed? Yuthr looked at him and said bitterly, "Take care of Ursa. Stay gold." With those last words, Yuthr stood up and wrapped his robe tighter around his small, fragile frame and left. Ozai stood still in shock. Today really was an odd day. First Yuthr had been possessed or something, then the spirit had forced Yuthr to fling a glass of water at Ozai, and finally say strange words that made no sense to him, the arrogant prince rationalized. Ozai mulled over Yuthr's words. Of course he would take care of Ursa! She was the love of his life! He would die for her if need be. It was cheesy, but true. "Stay gold." What in the world did that mean? He already _was _gold. He was the red and gold Fire Nation's Royal Prince. _I am actually worth _more_ than gold_, Ozai thought vainly.

He walked out of the stall towards the direction of his palace. He swore under his breath when he realized the time. The sky had already turned yellow orange. The sun was setting! Ozai lifted his robes and trousers and ran as fast as he could without tripping.

He ran to the special hiding place that only he and Ursa knew about. It was a small shack that was built around the base of a very wide tree. Inside were an extra set of royal clothes of the rich for Ursa and Ozai to change into in case something happened. He ducked into the base of the tree that had been hollowed out. They used it as a room to change their clothes in. He quickly stepped out of his clothes and changed into his other ones. Ozai ran a hand through his silky hair and looked over himself. He deemed himself presentable and took the shortcut to his bedroom. He climbed the tree to his balcony and stepped lightly onto it. He brushed off the few leaves that were stuck to his clothes and hair before striding inside.

(End of Flashback)

The former Phoenix King's thoughts drifted to the fateful day when Ursa was banished. Before she left, she had given him one last look. There seemed to be a bitter, remorseful look on her face. She scowled at him, so hard that he was sure he had cowered just a little bit. _That look really looks out of place on her face_, he remembered musing idly. "You are a horrible person, not the same man I fell in love with years ago. I can't believe that you were this hungry for power! I know you don't want me here. There is no other need for me to stay, now that you are Fire Lord. You only used me to get the throne!" She paused for a moment to catch her breath before continuing, "I regret the fact that I brought two children into this world. I see how you treat them...Tell them that I love them both, and that what I did, I did for them..." At first, Ursa had shouted her words, but they gradually faded to an almost inaudible whisper. She walked out of his private chambers with another glance backwards.

Ozai remembered how hurt he had felt, and how hard he had tried to mask it in front everyone. His toddler son had come in a little while later and had stomped his foot angrily. "It's YOUR fault she left! I hate you! How could you do this? How could Mom do this to me? I thought she loved me..." With that Zuko had sank to his knees crying. Ozai had been so disgusted with himself. Instead, he slapped his son hard across the face. He stepped back, a cool, composed look on his face. It was just a façade. Inwardly, he was shocked and horrified by what he had done. This was one of the things that had driven his Ursa away from him.

Azula too had come. She really was his daughter. Although she still had the innocence of fleeting youth, she was harsh and sadistic, just like her father. Azula had noticed her mother had disappeared and had waddled all the way to her father's study. She had climbed onto his lap and asked him where Ursa was. The question upset Ozai enough to roughly shove Azula off of his lap. He carried her and deposited her right outside of his bedroom door. He had called for a servant to put her to sleep and walked back into his personal chambers without another word. Azula had started crying. Her voice sounded wobbly when she called for her parents. Little Zuko had heard her cries and come to her rescue. He swept her up in his puny little arms and tried to comfort her. "There, there. It's alright. Everything will be alright," he had said.

Ozai had heard Azula say words directed to him, "No, it's your fault! It's not gonna be okay! I hate you! Mama left because of you!" Ozai closed the door and heard no more. For hours he had lain on his large bed, craving the absence of the body of his wife beside him. They had stopped sharing beds since Azula was born. He had rarely thought about asking her to come back to him. Ozai refused to acknowledge or do something about the growing rift between the once deeply in love couple. Now he missed her all the more. Ozai pictured her laughing as they had lain awake at two in the morning discussing names for their first child. He had joked with her about naming his son "Son". Off in the distance, Ozai could still hear her musical laughter.

He continued reminiscing for a while before he was shaken out of his reverie. The prison cell guard had rapped his martial arts rod against the cell bars. He looked up. "Come on. It's time to go."

Ozai stood up and followed the guard, an unreadable expression on his face. He strode out of the prison and into the warm sunlight. He basked in it, loving the feel of the heat on his face. He hadn't seen sunlight since the day he had been imprisoned. The guard handed him a mop and a bucket of soapy water that smelled of jasmine. Through the quiet guard's gestures, Ozai deduced that he was to mop the entire raised dais once quickly before his son, now the Fire Lord and his famous heroic friends would give a speech.

He surveyed the platform. It would probably take him fifteen minutes. The stage was made of smooth painted black wood. In the center was a podium. On either sides of it were cushioned seats for the "gAang" would sit. Aang, the avatar would sit with the scatterbrained but intelligent Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, Toph Bei Fong, a blind and extremely smart earthbender from an influential family in the Earth Kingdom, Suki, one of the Kyoshi girls famous for specializing in martial arts with their steel bladed fans, and last of all Katara. Katara was Sokka's waterbending sister. She was smart and courageous. He figured out that his son Zuko and the waterbender scum probably loved each other, guessing from the looks they had directed at each other after the avatar had stripped him of his firebending abilities. He finished mopping the floor and stepped off of it. Just then he realized that hundreds of people made up the crowd that was in front of him waiting for a chance to see the famous gAang. He spotted the gAang climbing onto the dais. They were dressed simply, but looked elegant. Zuko wore black trousers and a red tunic under his gold robe, with the Fire Nation dragon emblem embroidered onto it. Katara and Sokka wore ocean blue tunics and trousers that matched their cerulean eyes with the Southern Water Tribe insignias embroidered on their clothes as well. Toph and Suki wore green kimonos that reached a little past their waists and brown tunics underneath. They also had the Earth Kingdom crests sewn onto their clothes. Avatar Aang wore an orange tunic and a plain yellow robe that had the symbols for air, water, earth, and fire sewn onto it.

All of a sudden, Ozai had this unexplainable urge to show how he felt. He wanted his son to know that he regretted all of the atrocities he had committed. Maybe, just maybe Ursa was out there, in the midst of a crowd. He couldn't fight the grin that settled on his face. If he was forgiven.....Being forgiven would be a miracle. Ozai realized he had done so many horrendous acts, that it would be improbable to think anyone understood how he felt, that he needed to be forgiven, that he desperately sought the mercy he had refused to so many others. Still, somehow, Ozai felt he would atone for at least some of his sins by doing this. He left the mop and bucket to the side of the door and stood behind the podium. Zuko and his friends who were now seated looked to him in amazement. Sokka had the fiercest scowl on his face. His sister waterbended the soapy water from the bucket into manacles chaining Sokka to his seat before he had a chance to ruin the presentation and possibly strangle Ozai until he died.

Ozai looked at them once, then turned to face the crowd. He apologized to them, tearfully saying that he sincerely regretted all of the damage he had inflicted on the world. Everyone looked at him open-mouthed. They had never expected the man who had ruined their lives beyond repair to apologize to them and give a sincere speech while crying. "I know that what I have done is unforgivable, but I still hope that you will soften and not think as badly of me. I truly am sorry. Forgive me. Forgive me, Ursa." With that, the former sadistic "Phoenix King" began to sing. Behind him, a group of musicians began to play to his song, improvising but still managing to sound as if they had practiced this for years. Although Ozai hadn't realized it, he too had sounded as if he had thought of these words for a long time. He actually had; these heartfelt sentiments had just formed words on their own when he started singing.

"I used to rule the world  
Seas would rise when I gave the word  
Now in the morning I sleep alone  
Sweep the streets I used to own,"

The instruments played softly and sweetly. His voice and words struck a chord in every heart present. Tears started again at the corner of his eyes.

"I used to roll the dice  
Feel the fear in my enemies' eyes  
Listen as the crowd would sing  
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the King!"

(This line refers to Ozai's father, Azulon, who was also a tyrannical ruler. His death was Ursa's doing on behalf of Ozai to be crowned ruler. It was the only way Ursa could save her son from being killed.)

"One minute I held the key  
Next the walls were closed on me  
And I discovered that my castle stands  
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a'ringing  
Roman Cavalry choirs a'singing  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field  
For some reason I can't explain  
Once you'd gone there was never, never an honest word  
That was when I ruled the world,"

The musicians played their violins, which were Fire Nation string instruments played with a _bow_ and _keyboards_, which were Fire Nation instruments that produced various sounds of different pitches when their _keys _were struck. The crowd began to sway in time with the rhythm and beat of the song. Even the gAang began to listen attentively and smile and sway.

"It was a wicked and wild wind  
Blew down the doors to let me in  
Shattered windows and the sound of drums  
People couldn't believe what I'd become  
Revolutionaries wait  
For my head on a silver plate  
Just a puppet on a lonely string  
Oh who would ever want to be King?

I hear Jerusalem bells a'ringing  
Roman Cavalry choirs a'singing  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field  
For some reason I can't explain  
I know Saint Peter won't call my name  
Never an honest word  
But that was when I ruled the world"

Zuko stood up along with Katara, Toph, Suki, Sokka and Avatar Aang and began to sing the background harmony. "Oh oh oh ho hoooooo, oh oh ohho hoooooo" They kept singing gently while Ozai sang his song. Ozai didn't turn his back to look at his son, he had already felt the Fire Lord rise and stand behind his father. Zuko's presence comforted him, let him know that the song was speaking how the singer felt.

"I hear Jerusalem bells a'ringing  
Roman Cavalry choirs a'singing  
Be my mirror my sword and shield  
My missionaries in a foreign field  
For some reason I can't explain  
I know Saint Peter won't call my name  
Never an honest word  
But that was when I ruled the world"

This time Ozai joined the others singing and turned to look back at them. Everyone had a look in their eyes that told Ozai he was being forgiven, or at least understood and closer to being forgiven. He looked at the crowd and read the same sentiments in their eyes.

Zuko was the most emotional. His calmed, composed yet still friendly and approachable pretense fell apart and he rushed up to the father that had once disowned him, abused, scorned, humiliated and exiled him. Ozai and Zuko hugged, tears streaming down both of their faces. All of a sudden, a woman in a gray cloak ran up to them and removed her hood. Both males started in surprise. It was Ursa! The three united and hugged, whispering "I love you"s and "I forgive you"s and "I missed you"s. It would have been better if Azula had come, but she had died. It was a pity she never saw her mother again. Together they cried for the broken family that once had the potential to be close like any other, the family that never was, the daughter and sister missing, and for the family that was going to be. All of a sudden, Yuthr's words came back unbidden to Ozai. "Stay gold," he whispered quietly, repeating the wise man's words with the tone of a man that had just been recently enlightened. The meaning dawned on him. The old man had wanted to Ozai stay gold, to stay the good, somewhat innocent man he was, to cherish all of the good in the world, to stay a simple man who gave simple love to everyone. Ursa and Zuko looked at Ozai while he muttered those clever words, the best advice that had ever been given to him. They smiled.

"Yes. We will stay gold. You have turned back into gold, Ozai," his beautiful wife said plainly. As he hugged his family members, he saw an old man that looked alarmingly like Yuthr. He was dressed in the same clothes he had worn when Ozai last saw him. Yuthr's spirit said, "Yes, you are now gold." He smiled and waved to Ozai. Ozai smiled back, something he hadn't often done in years. The motion took a little effort. It turned to look like a cross between a smile and grimace. His muscles shifted; they weren't used to this action. Ozai promised himself to smile more. Yuthr waved one last time before fading into the large crowd in the form of barely noticed mist.

Behind the hugging family, the rest of the gAang hung back awkwardly, feeling as if they intruded on a private moment. Zuko and his parents beckoned the others to join them and they all hugged, cried and smiled simultaneously. Zuko clasped both of his parents hand and Katara's hand in the other. He reluctantly let go and turned to the audience. "Today, my friends, I present to you my family!"

Ozai turned to the ground and said, "Greetings! I'm Ozai, Zuko's favorite father. Don't worry; I'm not his other father who did appalling things." Zuko burst out laughing. Ozai turned to him, puzzled as to why his son had started giggling. All of a sudden, the Fire Lord sat up abruptly, a serious and somber expression on his face.

"You better not be."


End file.
